Delayed onset of liver injury after intentional chloroform overdose: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Chloroform is a recognised cause of acute liver injury, although now rarely encountered in clinical practice. We present a case of inhalational chloroform self-poisoning in a 47-year-old man that presented to hospital initially with reduced conscious level and later developed acute liver injury that was treated with intravenous acetylcysteine. This paper reviews the existing literature and presents a summary of the mechanisms of chloroform hepatotoxicity. Published cases show that there is a characteristic delay of 24 to 48 hours between chloroform exposure and elevation of liver transaminase activity. Therefore, clinicians need to provide an appropriate duration of monitoring in order to detect the occurrence of this important toxic effect.

An incident of chloroform poisoning on a university campus

“…[4] Chloroform is a moderately toxic reagent, and its acute toxicity includes central nervous system anesthesia, arrhythmia, and liver and kidney damage. [5,6] Oral chloroform poisoning can also cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and other digestive symptoms. [7] Routine gastric lavage is not recommended because chloroform poisoning patients are usually unconscious.…”